OFFICIAL CIRCLES: Sleepy Ottawa is about to heat back up

With MPs back in their ridings for turkey and trimmings, the nation’s capital has fallen into a tryptophan-induced lull. Not that that’s necessarily a bad thing. Three weeks of House sitting is just long enough to need a break from it all. In the past when Parliament remained open for four or five consecutive weeks, the people’s business usually degenerated into bad behaviour by the end, eliminating any presumed gains in efficiency.

The mental health break isn’t just for MPs either. Political staffers are suddenly able to wear jeans to the office, take long lunches and get caught up on the mountain of work that accumulated during the sitting. The day-to-day worry, which each Parliamentarian generates by their sheer presence, is now the constituency’s problem. Good luck to them.

But this is only the eye of the storm, with next Monday bringing a fresh round of challenges and mercifully a fresh round of parties to reinvigorate the social scene.

Tuesday it seems is all about good eats, a cause very close to Official Circles’ heart (literally — just ask my doctor). The Canadian Organic Trade Association is celebrating National Organic Week with a reception featuring — you guessed it — organic food and drink. The event has the advantage of a Centre Block locale (256-S, to be precise) meaning foodie Parliamentarians won’t have to wander too far to get their organic fix.

But that raw milk cheese and organic ancient grains baguette isn’t totally without strings. The industry wants to “discuss the numerous barriers and the significant opportunities on the horizon for the Canadian organic industry”. Although I’m sure that’s made much easier over a glass of sulfur dioxide-free wine.

Running at the same time, over at the Chateau Laurier, the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association — people who presumably know and love food — will be having an event in the storied Adam Room as part of their restaurant industry summit.

Wednesday as usual is a big hitter. It all starts over lunch where Famous 5 Ottawa honours the recipients of the 2011 Governor General’s Persons Case Award at the NAC. Rosemary Thompson will be presiding over an event that in the past has honored such luminaries as Louise Arbour, Mississauga mayor-for-life Hazel McCallion, Sen. Pamela Wallin and Sheila Copps. Always well attended, this is a paid event (take heed staffers) with tickets available for $55 a person.

The theme of female empowerment continues into the afternoon with Equal Voice putting on an event to honour the quarter of MPs who are women. These are good times for women in politics, with Newfoundland Premier Kathy Dunderdale becoming only the second female Premier to be elected in a general election (the first was PEI’s Catherine Callbeck). Dunderdale joins Alberta’s Alison Redford and BC’s Christy Clark in the exclusive club of sitting female premiers. This state of affairs should only add to Equal Voice’s celebration, which will be held at Play in the Byward Market, opposite the American Embassy. Equal Voice has an established network on the Hill and shouldn’t have a problem pulling out the big names. Their invitation also takes pains to emphasize that men are welcome, which means Official Circles may be making a cameo.

The big party however is expected to be the Rogers 50th Anniversary celebrations at Metropolitan later the same night. The invitations were suitably fancy (faux alligator skin wrapped fibreboard) for a corporation that counts a large portion of Canadians as customers in some way or another. If this event is anything like CTV’s anniversary blow-out back in 2008 at the same venue it’s liable to rock-on well past the official finish time and feature top tier food and drink. The buzz is that Rogers is restricting the amount of staffers who can attend; which means that this event could become a coveted ticket. Parliamentarians with customer service issues over their internet or cable service will also have a rare opportunity to have those dealt with by the media giant’s senior executives. Sure beats waiting on hold.